1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications and, more particularly, to interactive voice response systems that are operated in tandem.
2. Description of Related Art
Many telecommunications networks and other enterprises provide interactive media services, e.g., audio services, that users can access by telephone. For example, an interactive voice response (IVR) system may receive audio input from the user, such as speech or DTMF tones, and responsively provides the user with services, such as information, voice mail access, e-mail access, Web browsing, voice activated dialing (VAD), or the ability to do banking or other transactions. Currently, such interactive voice response systems are typically highly integrated, often with proprietary architectures. This makes interactive voice response systems difficult to modify so as to increase capacity or to provide new services. Such systems are also substantially expensive, making them out of reach for many enterprises. Accordingly, there is a need for flexible and low-cost systems and methods for providing interactive media services.